Meet the Wizengamot
by SweetDeamon
Summary: Head of Aurors Harry Potter marched unceremoniously into the room, paused at what he must have thought a safe distance, before throwing a hefty paper file across the room in Dora's direction. It landed upon the desk with a heavy slap, narrowly avoiding sending her mug of tea flying, and with that the wizard announced:"It's your turn." AU. Meet the... ficverse One Shot.


_Note: This is a one shot set some months before the events of Meet the Order of the Phoenix. It started off as a comedy and ended...not. This is what happens when you start a story, abandon it and then stumble across it well over a year later!_

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

 **Meet the Wizengamot**

She should have seen it coming.

From miles away.

Or minutes away, she later supposed, but for some reason that morning Dora Lupin had failed to see the all too familiar warning signs.

If she had seen them, she thought bitterly as she stalked her way down the highly polished marble corridor towards the tall double doors, she would have hidden in the witches' locker room for a good fifteen minutes or so. And then Harry Potter would not have found her.

But she hadn't. And so he had.

The first warning sign she had missed had been when she had first arrived in the Ministry's Atrium that morning and had bumped into fellow Auror Isaac Graham queuing for the lift down to Auror Headquarters.

"Morning Isaac." she'd greeted with barely a sidewards glance as she came to a halt beside him, and the tall wizard had frowned at his boots and murmured:

"Tonks..."

"How're things?" Dora had wondered, not really paying a whole lot of attention as she reached to stifle a wide yawn into the sleeve of her scarlet robes.

"Um..." Isaac had began uncertainly, only for the lift doors to slide noisily open and the two of them immediately began the usual shuffle to cram themselves into the narrow compartment.

"...was that your foot?"

"Hm."

"Sorry, I...oh! Sorry, was that your other foot?"

"Mm..."

"Sorry..."

"Hm."

They stumbled out of the lift some short while later and had strode side by side in silence down the corridor until they reached the main office doors, whereupon Dora's progression towards the locker rooms had been briefly halted by Isaac reaching to press a firm hand to her arm. She looked up at him questioningly, but his lips merely twitched towards something akin to a smile.

"Alright?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow, and he'd pressed his lips together in consideration before giving a small nod.

And she ought to have known right there and then.

The second warning sign smacked her in the face moments later when she had stepped into the locker room and made a beeline for her locker, slipping the satchel from her shoulder as she went. The room was quite empty for first thing in the morning, except for a certain Jasmine Wickes who was stood before the small square mirror above the wash basin in the corner, peering at herself so intently that her nose was almost pressed to the cool looking glass. Upon hearing Dora's entrance, the red haired witch glanced over her shoulder and, seeing Dora dump her bag unceremoniously upon the bench, turned to inquire:

"How do I look?"

"Much the same as you did last night, probably." Dora said, too busy reaching to unlock her locker with a careful and rather complex wave of her wand, and Jasmine spun back to look at the mirror, her face contorting.

"Really?!" she said, tugging at her robes in an uncharacteristically self-conscious manner. "Bloody hell..."  
"It's not a fashion contest, Jas..." Dora began bemusedly as she stuffed the satchel into the locker and slammed the door shut, only for Jasmine to bemoan:

"Yeah but... _the same as you did last night_?! You did see me last night, didn't you?!"

"No...why?" Dora leant wearily against the lockers and folded her arms firmly across her chest. When Jasmine didn't respond the Deputy Head of Aurors asked: "Did you stay for more than one at the Leaky? You weren't out getting pissed on a work night, were you? Because you know there are raids going on all afternoon..."

"Don't be dull." Jasmine mumbled evasively, and Dora rolled her eyes and suggested:

"Well then, I'd say all things considered you're looking perfectly bright eyed this morning."

"Good." Then Jasmine puffed her cheeks in consideration and wondered: "Is the hem coming down on these robes, d'you think?"

"What?"

"Sod it, I've gone and left my lipstick at home..."

Dora turned and made a beeline for the door, shaking her head in bemusement, muttering:

"For Merlin's sake! Get to your bloody desk Auror Wickes!"

The third warning sign was the cup of tea that had materialised upon her desk. More suspicious still, somebody had left her a packet of chocolate digestive biscuits...

And then, just a couple of minutes after Dora had sat down at her desk and taken a couple of sips of tea, the door to her office was pushed open and it was too late.

It happened.

Head of Aurors Harry Potter marched unceremoniously into the room, paused at what he must have thought a safe distance, before throwing a hefty paper file across the room in Dora's direction. It landed upon the desk with a heavy slap, narrowly avoiding sending her mug of tea flying, and with that the wizard announced:

"It's your turn."

Then, before Dora could so much as draw breath to respond, he turned on his heel and left the room at a run.

Dora leant forward to eye the folder with narrowing eyes, taking in the _Employee Record_ stamp and the _Jasmine Wickes_ scrawled just underneath.

And then she saw the little piece of pink memo paper that had been paper-clipped to the corner of the file. On it, Harry had written: _Disciplinary Hearing, 8am._

Dora Lupin slumped forward, her forehead coming to press against the paper. Then she muttered to nobody in particular:

"Bollocks..."

Yes, Dora thought dully as she swept on down the corridor, grip upon the folder in her hands tightening until her knuckles grew white, she should have seen it coming.

She found Jasmine sat languidly upon the marble bench just outside the courtroom doors, fingers tapping impatiently upon one knee. Dora sat down heavily beside her and gave such a sigh that Jasmine paused in her tapping.

"Short straw, was it?" the accused wondered nonchalantly, and in response Dora shot her a look of such disdain that had she caught Jasmine's gaze entirely the red haired witch might very well have dropped dead.

They sat in silence for a long moment before Dora finally consented to muttering:

"You didn't tell me."

"You didn't ask."

"No, I didn't. I don't generally go around the office inquiring whether or not anybody intends to get themselves sacked today...perhaps I ought to start!"

Jasmine frowned at her unusually well polished boots.

"I thought you knew. Thought Harry would have told you..."

"Well he has now, hasn't he!"

Silence.

Eventually Dora, having found scowling at the file set upon her lap was not making the contents of it any more accessible, asked:

"What have you done?"

"Haven't you read the notes?"

"Evidently not. So what have you done?"

"How are you supposed to defend me if you haven't read the bloody..."

"Answer the question, Jas, we haven't got all day!"

Jasmine huffed irritably, reaching to rake a hand through her carefully combed hair.

"It's an assault charge." she confessed wearily.

"Assault?"

"Yeah. Assault of a Ministry Official or whatever they call it these days..."

"You've assaulted a Ministry official?"

"Yep."

"For the love of Merlin, Jas!"

"It was an accident!"

"You assaulted a Ministry official _accidentally_?!"

"Well no...I suppose not, but..."

"Which Ministry official?!" Dora exclaimed, very nearly flinging the file to the floor in her fury, only for approaching footsteps to make her pause to look round.

Ambrose Kraft came stomping towards the courtroom doors, flanked by a couple of wizards in the plum coloured robes of the Wizengamot. His face appeared to be somewhat obscured thanks to a liberal wrapping of bandages, yet there was no mistaking the look of utter disdain upon his face as he passed them, scowling at Jasmine and offering Dora a distinctly icy:

" _Deputy_."

Dora offered the wizard a stiff nod. She watched him disappear inside the courtroom with his too companions and no sooner had the doors swung shut behind them, the Deputy Head of Aurors slumped back against the wall with a groan, her eyes screwed shut.

"You assaulted _Ambrose bloody Kraft_ by accident?!" she exclaimed, reaching to press a hand to her eyes, and Jasmine smirked.

"You can recommend me for an Order of Merlin whilst you're in there." she told Dora brightly.

Dora had barely read the first couple of lines of the incident report before she and Jasmine were summoned into the courtroom. The Deputy Head of Aurors closed the file with a huff and rose to her feet.

"What d'you reckon?" Jasmine asked, chewing pensively upon her lip, but Dora merely stalked off towards the open courtroom door, muttering:

"Just keep that big mouth of yours shut, Jas."

Jasmine felt a lump rise in her throat. She took a moment to swallow it before rising reluctantly to her feet. Squaring her shoulders, she strode after the metamorphmagus, plastering a suitably sober expression onto her face.

It seemed like only yesterday she had last stood at Jasmine's side in the vast room, countless eyes peering down at her as a dull voice requested:

"For the purposes of Ministry records, Ms Wickes, please state your full name and title."

"Jasmine Marie Wickes. Auror."

"Thank you. And for the defence...Mrs Lupin, if you please."

"Nymphadora Andromeda Lupin. Deputy Head of Aurors."

"Thank you. Now, as you are no doubt all aware Mr Kraft has kindly submitted his statement in writing in advance of our session this morning in order that Ms. Wickes and Mrs. Lupin might prepare a response...do proceed!"

Dora waited for Jasmine to say something, but true to the Deputy's instructions the Auror remained silent.

Dora suddenly wished that Jasmine would ignore her request.

The Deputy Head of Aurors took a moment to gaze blankly at the file that she held in her hands, before clearing her throat noisily.

"Well...good morning..." she began uncertainly, straightening up a little and reaching to sweep a stray strand of hair from her eyes. "I'd like to begin with...um..."

Jasmine turned to stare at her in mute panic and Dora forced herself to clear her throat and try again.

"I'd like to begin this morning by drawing your attention to Auror Wickes' outstanding arrest record." she announced clearly. "There's not another Auror in your employment who has made as many arrests as Jasmine Wickes. I know this year alone she has made more arrests than both myself and Mr. Potter combined and she has made at least five more arrests than Xander Pikket, who you sent a letter of commendation to only last week..."

"We've heard all of this before, surely!" a sour voice interrupted from somewhere amongst the sea of faces. "Every time the Wizengamot haul Ms. Wickes into this room all you ever tell them is to look at her arrest record!"

Dora looked up at Ambrose Kraft, her dark eyes piercing.

"Forgive me, Mr. Kraft." she said icily as a murmur rose amongst the gathered members of the Wizengamot. "I find it difficult to believe that you can be aware of what has and has not been said by me within the confides of this chamber before today. You are not, after all, a member of this council and I doubt I or anyone else here can recall ever inviting you to sit and listen in on matters relating to my staff. My department's affairs are not a spectator sport. Incidentally, since this is your first time sitting with us it might interest you to know that we are not in the habit of interrupting speakers in their initial address, no matter how irrelevant we feel their thoughts may be..."

Kraft opened his mouth to speak, only for the Deputy Head of Aurors to ask:

"Now, would you mind terribly if I continued or shall we throw all forms of convention out of the window? I'd rather not do that, you see. This is a windowless room, after all."

Kraft visibly paled in indignation.

Jasmine sniggered, only to stop when Dora reached to thrust the folder she was holding somewhat painfully into the younger Auror's stomach, whereupon she was forced to scramble to catch the papers as Dora began to slowly pace up and down the room, hands clasped tightly together behind her back.

"I am going to be frank." Dora announced, and Jasmine very nearly dropped the file in alarm at such a notion. "I have no idea what Mr. Kraft has written in his statement, nor what it is precisely that he feels has been inappropriate about my colleague's conduct..."

"You haven't looked at my statement?! Have you even looked at _me_ , Tonks?!" Kraft snapped, gesturing furiously to the bandages upon his face, and there were disapproving murmurs as Dora waved a dismissive hand at him and confessed:

"Not particularly, I try to avoid looking at you unless it's strictly necessary, but..."

"I...! Objection!"

"...this is a disciplinary hearing, Mr Kraft, not a criminal trial. We don't really shout objection at one another..."

" _Mrs. Lupin_." the dull authoritative voice scolded half-heartedly as Jasmine dissolved into laughter, only for Dora to snap:

" _Be quiet_ , Jas. Sorry. I apologise. What I was trying to say, however, is that the Auror Department have not one but four raids scheduled for this afternoon, one of which Auror Wickes is scheduled to lead, and if she walks out of this room on suspension it's really going to ruin my day..."

"Ruin _your_ day?" Jasmine muttered, only for Dora to hiss:

"If you don't keep your mouth shut, Jas, you can forget about today because I'll ruin your _life_." To the room at large she went on: "Mr. Potter would be forced to cancel at least one of the raids...probably two of them in fact, and we've been planning them for months. Merlin knows when the right opportunity might arise again."

A murmur ran through the assembled members of the Wizengamot, only for the bored authoritative voice to announce:

"We are perfectly willing to consider a delayed suspension, Mrs. Lupin."

Dora sighed heavily.

"Perhaps," she said, reaching to rake a weary hand through her hair, "Mr. Kraft might be kind enough to briefly summarise his statement for me?"

Kraft gave a snort of disdain.

"I put it to you, Deputy," he said, peering down his nose at her with narrowing eyes, "that the fact that you would appear before this council having not read my statement in the first place is a reflection of the total disregard for procedure and shambolic nature of the Auror Department of late!"

Dora smiled patiently at him.

"In which case, I put it to you Mr. Kraft," she said, reaching to grasp her hands together behind her back, "that it is Auror Wickes' conduct being examined here, not mine or the Auror Department's at large. I suggest you take your concerns up with Minister Shacklebolt. I very much look forward to watching him throw you out of his office. Now, would you care to tell me what precisely your problem is with Jasmine, or shall we continue to waste valuable time dancing around the key issue here?"

Kraft opened his mouth to retort, only for the wizard in charge, who appeared to be drifting off to sleep in his chair, to instruct:

"A brief summary if you will, Mr. Kraft."

Ambrose Kraft rose to his feet, straightening his robes with an air of self-importance that made Jasmine Wickes let out a hefty sigh, leaving Dora to shoot her a warning look.

"Yesterday afternoon the Auror Department completed a raid of a property in the village of Little Brumpton in Cheshire." Kraft announced. "A raid which, I am led to believe, was being led by Auror Wickes."

"Correct." Dora murmured as she began to slowly pace up and down the room, gaze thoughtfully upon her boots.

"The target of the raid was a certain Miss Persephone Walton, who was subsequently taken into custody, however a second arrest was made, that of a Miss Louisa Mason. A _muggle_." The distaste with which he managed to expel these final two syllables from his mouth made Dora glance up at him with a frown. "Quite naturally, this being the case, it was entirely the place of my department to take Miss Mason into custody, separately from the Auror Department's arrest of Miss Walton. _Ministry regulations state_ that..."

"Yes, I'm vaguely familiar with our regulations, thank you..." Dora interrupted, resuming her pacing, and Kraft leant forward a little from where he stood amongst the raised seats, eyes bright as he asked:

"You agree with me then, Deputy Lupin, that when I arrived at the scene Auror Wickes ought have surrendered Miss Mason to me immediately?"

"I wouldn't surrender anything or anybody to you if my bloody life depended on it..." Jasmine muttered, only for Dora to announce loudly:

"I suspect that might well have been the course of action that Auror Wickes would choose to take should she follow Ministry regulation to the letter, yes."

"Then it may disturb you to hear that Auror Wickes did no such thing!" Kraft informed Dora triumphantly, and Dora sighed dramatically and blandly agreed:

"I am deeply disturbed, I can assure you. I do fail to see how this constitutes assault, however."

"Naturally," Kraft went on, gaze darting around the room at the assembled members of the Wizengamot, determined that they hang upon his every word, "I demanded Auror Wickes give up the prisoner, as is my _right_..."

"I believe the correct term you are searching for is _suspect_." Dora said, tone growing increasingly cold. "And your office does not give you rights, it gives you _jurisdiction_..."

"...but she refused! When I again insisted she do so she saw fit to assault me!"

A murmur ran around the room at this accusation, though Dora did not so much as flinch.

"I see. And...where precisely was your wand, Mr. Kraft, at this precise moment in time?"

"What are you insinuating?"

"Did you draw your wand on Jasmine and the suspect, or did this entire exchange take place whilst it sat snugly in your pocket?"

"How _dare_ you suggest...!"

"I'm simply attempting to build up a clear picture of what happened, Mr. Kraft."

"What happened is perfectly simple! She withheld the suspect from me by unnecessary force!"

"He wanted to stun the girl!" Jasmine snapped furiously, taking a step forward. "I wasn't bloody having it!"

"You wanted to stun a muggle suspect, Mr. Kraft?"

"She was being uncooperative! They both were!"

"How uncooperative can a fourteen year old muggle girl really be, Mr. Kraft? I am right, am I not? She was fourteen years of age, if my memory of the plans is correct, and though a friend of the primary suspect she was not herself suspected of any major crime. She was being arrested as a precaution...stunning her does seem a little extreme to me..."

"She was being hysterical!"

"One look at you and I suspect she was, yes..."

" _Mrs. Lupin_."

"My apologies. It's just I have to agree with Jasmine here. I wouldn't have surrendered a vulnerable child of any blood status into his care if he intended to stun them. As a matter of fact I'm really rather disappointed in Jasmine's behaviour - I'd have knocked you out _stone cold_ if that had been me! And I'd not have bloody bothered to turn up to this sham of a hearing afterwards, either! I'm not entirely sure what it is that you are doing sat up there whilst Jasmine is down here, Mr. Kraft, but it seems to me it's _you_ the council ought suspend. You are not fit for office!"

And with that, as a somewhat stunned silence descended upon the assembled witches and wizards, the Deputy Head of Aurors reached to straighten her robes a little and, turning on her heel, announced:

"Come on, Jasmine. We're leaving."

The members of the Wizengamot watched the metamorphmagus stride purposefully from the room, her colleague shuffling hurriedly after her, and the doors slammed shut behind them with a distinctly terminal thud.

"Did you see the look on his face?!" Jasmine cackled as she hurried along the corridor after Dora, who was stalking towards the lift, her hands balled into tight fists. "Smug bastard didn't know what had hit him!"

Dora came to such an abrupt halt that Jasmine walked straight into the back of her, and before she could plant her feet more firmly upon the highly polished floor the younger witch found herself grasped by the shoulder and yanked sideways into a dark alcove.

"Wipe that bloody smile off your face!" Dora growled half a second later, her nose mere inches from Jasmine's face as she pressed the red head firmly back against the wall. "There is absolutely nothing amusing about what happened in that hearing, d'you hear me?!"

"You kicked his arse, Tonks." Jasmine pointed out, attempting to sound soothing, only for Dora to snap:

"And he'll get me for it! Make no mistake, Jasmine, he's going to get me one way or another!"

"Well yeah," Jasmine agreed, brow creasing deeply, "but...you're not actually worried, are you? I mean...I know he's a big fish in this pond but...Tonks, you're practically the giant squid..."

"What I have is brass neck, Jas. I know how to cause a scene, I know how to make my boots look bloody enormous and I know how to pretend I fill them! But do not mistake that for true influence in that room back there! It is trickery! It is an act, a lie! They're not my boots and even though I'll keep on wearing them as long as Ambrose Kraft darkens these hallways, one day I'm going to trip! And it's a bloody long way to fall!"

Jasmine sighed heavily, eyes drifting warily up towards the ceiling.

"You're right, you know." she said grimly. "I should've knocked him out cold!"

Dora gripped her arm firmly, dark eyes piercing.

"Do not cross him, Jasmine." the Deputy Head of Aurors whispered, and her friend squirmed.

"Tonks..."

"He is dangerous."

"Yes, I know what he is, but..."

"There is no but."

" _But_! We face danger every day here! It's our job to face up to dangerous people, _Deputy_."

Dora smiled grimly.

"Then I am not telling you as your Deputy not cross him, I'm asking you to keep away from him, as your friend."

Jasmine pursed her lips together in frustration, but consented to nodding half-heartedly.

"Besides," Dora murmured as the sound of the council chamber doors creaking open echoed from up the corridor, "you must be out of trouble and ready...if the time comes."

"What time?" Jasmine wondered, only for the approaching footsteps to leave Dora to take a sizeable step back from her, and a chilling voice said:

"Deputy Lupin. A word."

As Dora turned slowly to face the dark robed, gaunt figure of Ambrose Kraft, fully prepared for the pure hatred burning within his eyes, Jasmine straightened up and folded her arms firmly across her chest.

"You're due in the Minister's office." Jasmine suggested pointedly to her fellow Auror, causing Kraft to give a snort of disdain-drenched disbelief, but Dora merely chuckled humourlessly and said:

"Nice try, Jas. Go on, get going."

Jasmine hesitated momentarily, gaze darting between the other two in consideration, before striding off towards the lift, her footfalls echoing amongst the cool silence that was left to hang upon the air. She could feel Dora's eyes upon her back, and yet stronger still she was sure that she could feel Kraft's eyes upon Dora, those narrow, serpentine slits smouldering with such loathing, such hate that it sent a shiver down Jasmine's spine.

And as she rounded the corner, Jasmine Wickes found that despite herself she could not dare to look back...

 **Finish.**


End file.
